Poppet the kitten survives a 50C cycle

Poppet, a seven week old kitten, had crept into the laundry basket when her owner Laura Gilholme’s back was turned. She only realised what had happened after opening the door when the wash had finished.

“I was halfway through putting in a load and she must have jumped into the machine,” said Laura, 27. “She was unconscious and my neighbour tried to do mouth-to-mouth on her but then we rushed her to the vets.

“There was no response from her; we really thought she’d died.”

Luckily, vet John Gunn managed to save Poppet’s life and then nursed her back to health – he described her as an “incredibly lucky cat”.

“I really didn’t think she had a hope,” he said. “She definitely used up one of her nine lives. This should serve as a gentle reminder to pet owners with young animals.”

But it seems Poppet is yet to learn her lesson – the first thing she did once she got home was jump into the tumble dryer.

Laura added: “We know she’s back to being her usual mischievous self.”